Media circus

Media circus is a metaphorical term used to describe a news event where the media coverage is out of proportion to the event being covered. This can include the number of reporters at the scene, the amount of coverage published or broadcast, and the level of media hype. The term is used in a number of ways, including as a pejorative description by critics of the media and/or partisan sides in the event; or harmlessly poking fun at the realities of the industry. The metaphor of a circus can be applied to the media in any number of ways, for example an extensive "parade" of pundits, spin doctors, and spokespeople are usually part of the show.

Events

Events sometimes described as a media circus include:

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• In Australia:
• The Azaria Chamberlain disappearance of 2 month old baby in outback Australia (1980)
• Trial of Schapelle Corby (May 27, 2005)
• In the United States:
• The disappearance of six-year-old Etan Patz in New York City (May 25, 1979)
• Baby Jessica rescued from a well (1987)
• The trial of Pamela Smart (1990)
• Menendez brothers trial (Early 1990s)
• John Wayne Bobbitt - man whose wife severed his penis (1993)
• The trials of O. J. Simpson, especially his criminal trial (1994 and 1995)
• Mary Kay Letourneau - married teacher who seduced a 13-year-old student (1996)
• The Blizzard of '96 (1996)http://dailybeacon.utk.edu/issues/v71/n3/blizzard.3v.html
• Titanic film of 1997
• The sex scandal of President Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky (1998)
• The Columbine High School massacre (April 20, 1999)
• Marketing/merchandising for many of the Star Wars movies released in the 2000s
• The Elián González custody conflict (2000)
• The Florida Recount of Election 2000
• Y2K crisis (1999-2000)
• Danny Almonte (2001) - Little League baseball pitching star revealed to be two years too old to play in Little League
• Chandra Levy (2001) - missing Washington, D.C. intern
• The sex scandal of Congressman Gary Condit (2001)
• Andrea Yates - the Texas woman who drowned her five children on June 20, 2001
• Sexual abuse of minors by at least 67 Roman Catholic clergy members (2002)
• The disappearance of Elizabeth Smart (June 5, 2002)
• Jessica Lynch (2003) - female POW in the Iraq war
• the 2003 California Recall, which made Arnold Schwarzenegger governor of California
• The 55-hour marriage of Britney Spears (January2004)
• Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction (February 1,2004) during the Super Bowl - Nipplegate
• The trial of Martha Stewart (2004)
• The Scott and Laci Peterson case (2004)
• Last episode of Friends (May 6,2004)
• Ronald Reagan's funeral (June 2004)
• The trial of Kobe Bryant (2004)
• Breakup of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston (2005)
• The Terri Schiavo coverage (2005)
• The Death of Pope John Paul II (April 2,2005)
• The election of Pope Benedict XVI (April 19,2005)
• The Michael Jackson Trial (2005)
• Britney Spears' pregnancy (2005)
• The runaway bride incident with Jennifer Wilbanks (2005)
• Danica Patrick, female rookie in the Indy Racing League (2005)
• The Natalee Holloway disappearance in Aruba and other "missing white women" (2005)
• Cindy Sheehan's anti-war protest in Crawford, Texas (2005)
• In Canada:
• The marriage of Janet Jones to Wayne Gretzky
• The trial of Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo (1995) and Karla Homolka's release (2005)
• In the United Kingdom:
• The marriage of Lady Diana Spencer to Charles, Prince of Wales
• The death and funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, in August/September 1997
• The detention of general Augusto Pinochet
• The marriage of Camilla Parker Bowles to Charles, Prince of Wales
• The Soham murders
• In Brazil:
• The Candelaria Church Massacre
• The Chico Mendes murder case
• In Portugal:
• The Casa Pia child abuse scandal (1993 onwards)